Star Fox: Broken Alliances
by Anne Onymous
Summary: The war with the Aparoids is over, and the team has begun to accept their new quiet life until an old enemy becomes a new threat. But could this mission be too big for Star Fox alone?
1. Boys Will Be Boys

A/N: My attempt at a lengthy story! Feedback appreciated!

Timeframe: Post-Assault, Pre-Command

Disclaimer: Nintendo

**Star Fox: Broken Allies**

**Chapter One: Boys Will Be Boys**

_Positive to negative, red to blue. Positive to negative, red to blue._

Slippy repeated this to himself as he connected and reconnected wires. Finally, he attached the last one. "There you go, ROB," he said, "You're all cleaned out and rewired. There shouldn't be any more problems for a while."

"Affirmative," the robot answered in a monotone voice, "Permission to transmit gratitude."

Slippy chuckled. "You're welcome, ROB. I'm gunna go check our coordinates."

_How does anyone get bored of this?_ Slippy thought to himself as he happily walked down the halls of the Great Fox. The war with the Aparoids had been over for a few months, and lately Fox and Falco had become restless. Slippy, however, felt the exact opposite. He always had some kind of maintenance to do, and he strongly preferred it to being shot out of the sky.

Meanwhile, Fox was in the main control room watching the void of space pass by through the large front windows. It was kind of funny, he mused, how every inch of space looked the same. Even a trained space combat pilot like himself would get lost without a radar.

Slippy entered the room, snapping him out of his daydreams. "Oh hey, Fox," Slippy squeaked, "What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing," Fox sighed, "That's all we do nowadays."

"Peppy says that's the price of peace," Slippy shrugged, "Mind if I check our coordinates?"

Fox nodded and got up. He walked over to the security screens as Slippy began clicking random keys. His eyes idly scanned through the images of each room of the ship. He stopped, however, when he noticed Falco in the hangar toying with his Arwing. "Hey Slippy…" Fox said, his dull mood being replaced with a mischievous tone, "You up for some fun?"

Now Falco wasn't the brightest when it came to the technical aspect of an Arwing. That's what Slippy was there for. But in the never-ending depths of boredom, he needed something to do to keep himself from going mad. So there he was, lying under his ship, screwing and unscrewing bolts, polishing things that wouldn't be seen, and pretending he knew a thing or two about maintenance.

All of a sudden there was a deafening screech heard from the ship's intercom. Falco jolted upright, hitting his head on the belly of his ship and letting out a curse. He slid out from underneath and sat upright, rubbing his head.

"MEMBERS OF STAR FOX," a deep voice bellowed from the speakers, "DO NOT BE ALARMED. I HAVE JUST SUCCESSFULLY SNUCK INTO YOUR MOTHERSHIP AND TAKEN CONTROL… ON SECOND THOUGHT, YOU MAY BE VERY ALARMED."

"Oh what the…" Falco mumbled, standing up. He looked into the security camera. "Fox, is that you?"

"NO, I HAVE TAKEN YOUR LEADER CAPTIVE." The voice answered.

"You guys are dumb," Falco said, "If you think I'm going to fall for this…"

The voice spoke up again, although in a slightly higher tone than before. "IF YOU WANT CONTROL OF YOUR SHIP BACK, MAKE SLIPPY A SANDWICH."

Falco resisted a smirk. "Now you're in for it."

Fox and Slippy were in hysterics. They knew Falco wouldn't fall for it. The plan was to exasperate him enough to spark a dogfight.

But when the door burst open, Falco was not the one who entered the room. Instead, the round figure of Peppy Hare stood in the doorway with a book under his arm and a frown on his face. Slippy and Fox immediately stopped laughing.

"What do you think you're doing?" Peppy demanded, entering the room, "I can't have an hour of solitude? Just an hour, that's all I ask. I was sitting down with a nice book when I hear some idiot on the intercom. I nearly had a heart attack! What if someone really had taken over the ship, hm? What was I to do then?"

Fox and Slippy hung their heads. "Sorry sir," they said in unison.

Peppy shook his head. "I supposed Falco will be in here any minute with more tomfoolery…"

As if on cue, Falco burst through an air vent on the ceiling, landing on top of Fox and Slippy as he crashed to the floor. Peppy slapped his palm to his face as the three "professionals" roughhoused. He walked over to the pile and easily grabbed Falco's collar, pulling him to his feet. Fox and Slippy quieted down. They knew Falco was going to be scolded, and they wouldn't miss it.

"As I was just explaining to these two…" Peppy began calmly, before yelling: "I ASKED FOR PEACE AND QUIET FOR MERELY AN HOUR, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?"

Falco twisted a feathery finger in his ear, acting as though Peppy had damaged an eardrum. He kept a dull expression as he answered the rabbit. "Sheesh, Pep. It's not our fault you can't keep up with us 'youngsters' anymore."

Peppy was fuming, but Falco's expression remained unchanged. Before he could spew out more shouts of disapproval, the last member of Star Fox finally joined in the commotion.

"What am I missing?" Krystal asked with a smile as she entered the room.

"Oh nothing," Falco waved off Peppy and walked over to Fox and Slippy. He casually rested an elbow on Slippy's head, taking advantage of his short teammate for an armrest. "Boys being boys." The irritated frog wiggled his way out from under Falco's body weight.

Peppy sighed. "Why don't you _boys_ take your ruckus outside."

Fox smiled. He turned to the three other pilots. "You guys up for it?"

Thanks for reading! It might be a while before the next chapter comes out, but I promise it'll have some action! Reviews/criticism are appreciated!


	2. What We Do Best

A/N: Let's try this again… Maybe I'll actually stick to it this time.

**Chapter Two: What We Do Best**

The high-pitched hum of the Arwings' engines echoed through space as the four pilots ascended from the Great Fox and into the asteroid field.

"System check," Fox said, "How's everything looking?"

"No problems here," Krystal confirmed.

Falco maneuvered his ship left and right, and then flipped it upside down. "Feels alright, but you might want to check the breaks, Slip. They're lagging a bit."

"Yeah yeah, I'll get it," Slippy answered, "I'm fine over here, Fox."

"Okay guys," Fox smiled, "On your count, Peppy!"

Peppy's voice came on the intercom. "First one to loop around the largest asteroid and come back wins. On your mark…"

Falco flipped his ship upright. The four of them lined up their Arwings.

"Get set…"

Fox revved his engine. Slippy nervously gripped the joystick.

"GO!"

In a blink the ships shot forward, Fox immediately taking the lead. He swiftly navigated past the smaller asteroids and headed to his target. Krystal was not far behind. She dropped altitude and sped up until she was right beneath Fox's ship. As soon as Fox shifted left slightly to dodge an asteroid, she quickly pulled up right in front of him.

Slippy trailed behind a little, focusing more on not being crushed by space rock. He glanced at the two ships in front of him. _Wait… two? Where's Falco…_ As if on cue, Falco's Arwing zoomed past him, quickly gaining on the others. Slippy was immediately blinded by the purple exhaust. It quickly cleared, however, revealing just how much he was losing by. _What else is new,_ he thought to himself and boosted forward.

Meanwhile, Fox was still on Krystal's tail as they approached their target. Krystal waited until the very last second before pushing hard on the controls. Her Arwing did a vertical nosedive underneath the asteroid. Fox was thrown off by this and turned to the right without rotating, knocking off the tip of his wing. He managed to regain control, but it threw off his balance and he was forced to slow down.

Slippy had just reached the asteroid as Fox and Krystal separated. He quickly rotated to the right and followed Fox.

Falco took the same route as Krystal, and was now inching up behind her as they flew toward the Great Fox. _Time to get serious_, he thought, a smile spreading across his face. He tilted his ship sideways and boosted, passing right over Krystal's right wing. He balanced out in front of her, cutting her off. When he saw her dive again to pass him, he only sped up.

Fox was coming up on the gap between the two Arwings. But just as he boosted, Falco spun into a barrel roll. Small chunks of space rock were shot in every direction. Fox saw one his Krystal's tail, knocking her off course. By the time he looked up, one of the larger ones had hit the base of his wing, and he was sent spinning backwards.

Falco, enjoying the scene, failed to notice both ends of his wings had been clipped, and he was steadily descending. He allowed himself to go off course and could not lift himself in time to dock.

Then, calmly drifting past the others was Slippy. He happily floated by and safely landed in the docking bay of the Great Fox.

(Control Room)

Peppy leaned back in his chair while he watched the race from the surveillance screens. The newfound quiet allowed him to finally enjoy and admire the art of the pilots—the pilots he had trained. He laughed and shook his head when Falco went into his spin. _That's more trouble than it's worth,_ he thought to himself. He smirked when his prediction came true. After that performance, he watched the ships as they declined back to the bay. It was only a few minutes before the four of them burst into the room loudly discussing the events.

"You idiot!" Fox smacked Falco upside the head, "How was that possible going to help you win? Now we're going to have to repair and repaint! This was just supposed to be a simple race!"

Falco held up his hands in defense. "Hey, survival of the fittest, right? Isn't _winning_ the whole point of the game?"

"Uh… I did win…" Slippy said meekly, trying not to get in the middle of it.

"I would've had you all beaten if you hadn't pulled that little stunt," Krystal said begrudgingly.

Slippy tried again. "Yea but I—"

"Y'all are just sore losers," Falco interrupted. He held up his index finger. "I can't help it if you don't have the skills _and _the smarts."

Fox smirked. "May I remind you that you lost?"

Falco's face dropped. "Say whaa?"

"That's right," Peppy stepped in, stifling a chuckle, "You were the last one to dock. And Slippy here was the first."

Slippy beamed. "Hooray!" He cheered.

Fox shook his head. "Alright, alright. Great job, Slip."

"Well if the excitement is over, is a little quiet time too much to ask?" Peppy asked.

"Whatever, old man," Falco said, "Krystal and I were just off to a rematch."

Peppy shook his head. "I don't see why you would want to play a video game about yourselves."

"Well when I can't be shoot things here at least I can do it virtually," Falco answered.

"Hey Falco!" Slippy cried, "Can I play this time?"

"Don't you have some lagging brakes you need to go fix?"

Slippy sighed and trudged off to the bridge.

"Are you gunna join us Foxie?" Falco asked after Slippy had left.

"Nah I think I'll just go watch the news," Fox answered, "You know, see what's happening at home."

"Alright," Falco shrugged. He turned to Krystal and gestured toward the door. "After you."

Krystal laughed. "Don't think manners will make me go easy on you."

(The Bay)

Slippy mumbled to himself while he tampered with the mechanics of Falco's Arwing. "Stupid bird... not letting me play with them. I won didn't I? Probably the only time I will, too. And who does he think he is? Bossing me around…"

He continued muttering as he worked. He didn't notice that another ship had quietly landed on the bridge.

(Living Room)

The animated Falco barely dodged a blast from Krystal's virtual Landmaster, but a few blasts from his rocket launcher forced her out of it.

"My breasts aren't that big," Krystal huffed, looking at her character. "I'm surprised she can even run without toppling over."

Falco shrugged. "Face it. You're the sex appeal of the team. Without you this game probably wouldn't sell. Think of all the horny customers you bring in."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "I don't even want to think about how many forty year old pigs living in their parents' house fantasize about me. And I don't even need the enhancement!"

Just then, Falco noticed Fox walking by. "Hey Fox!" He called, "Come 'ere for a sec!"

Fox came back and leaned against the door frame. "What is it?" He asked.

"We just need your opinion on something," Falco said, "Which do you like better: Krystal's voluptuous, giant, virtual titties or her boring, average sized ones." Krystal smacked his arm.

"I… um…" Fox scratched the back of his head, "I mean the ones in the game are… b-but I like… err—"

Slippy burst in just then, out of breath and eyes bulging.

(The Bay)

Two gorillas climbed out of the ship. They didn't see Slippy inside of the Arwing's cockpit. "This way," the one whispered to his partner while loading his blaster.

Slippy heard the click of the gun, and he slowly peaked out of the window. He nearly screamed when he saw the two, but he managed to stifle it. He silently waited until they had left before sprinting to the living area.

(Living Room)

Fox had Slippy by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Come on, buddy, out with it!"

Slippy took a deep breath. "Th-there are intruders. Two of them. Real big ones, with blasters."

Falco and Krystal were on their feet now, forgetting the game and the previous conversation. Fox had done the same. "Okay team, we can't let them get to our main controls. Krystal and Slippy, you guys go find Peppy and make sure he's safe. Grab some blasters on the way there. Falco and I will go take care of these guys."

Falco swung his arms back and forth, loosening them up. "Lead the way, Foxie."

(Krystal and Slippy)

After getting some supplies, the two ran down the corridors to Peppy's room. When they got there, the doors were locked.

"Peppy," Slippy called as quietly as possible, "You in there?"

"I thought I asked for quiet," Peppy yelled back.

Krystal shushed him. "Peppy open the door!"

The door slid open. "What is so important that—" But Krystal and Slippy had already pushed past him and into the room. Slippy shut the door behind him.

"Geeze, Peppy," He said, letting out a sigh of relief. "Do you want to get us all killed?"

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Peppy asked.

(Fox and Falco)

Falco followed Fox as they ran down the hallway. The two had picked up weapons. Each had a blaster in his holster. Fox carried a metal rod, and Falco had this switchblade, his weapon of choice. They always checked before running past a room or another hallway to make sure the goons weren't there.

"I can't wait to beat the crap outta these guys," Falco admitted.

Fox nodded. He was too focused to talk smack with Falco right now. He kept his head in the game and kept running. He stopped when they came to another corner and listened. He could hear footsteps, heavy ones. He signaled to Falco that they had found their targets. Falco nodded. The two waited until the gorillas approached the corner. Falco gave Fox a thumbs up. Fox smirked a little and held the rod like a bat. Falco held up three fingers, then two, and then…

_BAM!_

The metal rod connected with the chin of one intruder. He staggered back, mostly from the shock of the blow. Fox advanced on him and struck him again in the side. Fox prepared to hit him a third time, but his opponent took hold of the rod and swung Fox against the wall. Fox released the rod and ducked before it hit the wall where his head used to be. He sprung forward, grabbing the intruder's blaster out of its holster.

Falco didn't waste any time in striking the other with his blaster. He shot at his leg, but the gorilla dodged and drew his own blaster. Falco rolled forward as a laser whizzed over his head. He brandished his knife as he slid on the floor and managed to slash the intruder across the ankle. The gorilla yelped and took hold of Falco by the shin. He slung Falco's leg over his shoulder, leaving Falco dangling behind him. The gorilla then swung towards the wall, but Falco was able to hold his hands up in time. He swung his other leg around the gorilla's shoulder and used to wall to push himself upright. Now sitting atop the gorilla's shoulders, he wrapped his legs around the neck.

(Peppy's Room)

"Got any threes?" Slippy asked.

Peppy shook his head. "Go fish." Slippy grumbled as he picked up another card from the pile.

Krystal sighed. "Shouldn't we be trying to help them?"

"Now now," Peppy said, "If Fox told you to come here, then that's what you do. You know how he gets when we don't follow orders."

Slippy nodded in agreement. "Besides, I'd probably just get in the way."

Krystal sighed again, but picked up her hand of cards. "Got any kings?"

(Fox and Falco)

Fox shot at the gorilla, but was stopped when the metal rod thumped against his side. Fox focused on dodging for now.

Falco's goon had begun to get weaker, so he decided to land the final blow. He let himself fall upside down again, but kept his legs wrapped around the intruder's neck. He stretched until his palms lay flat on the floor, and then pulled. Falco flipped backwards as the gorilla was knocked down. Falco set his blaster to stun and made sure the gorilla was unconscious before helping Fox. Since Fox's opponent was distracted, Falco had an easy target. The other gorilla went down just as easily, and Fox looked relieved when the metal rod clanked onto the floor.

"Thanks," Fox said, "Now let's get the others to come clean this up."

(Main Control Room)

After everything had been taken care of and the intruders had been tied up, Fox and Peppy sat at the controls, discussing their next destination.

"We should take them to Corneria to be properly questioned," Peppy suggested as he watched Slippy try to intimidate the gorillas on the security camera. Peppy laughed as Slippy jumped away at the slightest movement from the tied up primate.

Fox nodded. "General Pepper will know what to do with them," he said, "I'll tell the others."

(Apprehension Center)

Krystal and Falco watched as Slippy questioned the intruders.

Falco laughed. "Right… like a four foot tall frog is going to get any information out of them."

Krystal laughed a little too. "I like to give Slippy the benefit of the doubt." They were silent again while they watched. Krystal spoke up, "Oh and I never got to _thank_ you for embarrassing me in front of Fox earlier."

Falco laughed out loud this time. "He's just lucky these two monkeys showed up to bail him out."

"Oh shut up," Krystal said, "He wouldn't have answered anyway. Unlike some people he's actually a gentleman."

"And gentlemen don't like to talk about boobs?" Krystal smacked his arm again. Falco laughed, "Alright alright, sorry. I just don't get what you two are waiting for."

Krystal sighed. "I suppose he's waiting for the right time. Haven't you ever wanted the moment when you tell someone you love them to be perfect?"

Falco looked down, remembering. Then he looked up and crossed his arms. "Nope," he said, "I've always been the same, emotionless jerk that stands before you today."

Their conversation was interrupted by a noise from the intercom, an indication that someone was about to speak through it. Slippy left the two gorillas and joined Falco and Krystal by the door.

"Attention team," Fox's voice echoed through the room, "We're heading home."

* * *

Geeze this was a long one. The others probably won't be this long. If anyone's reading this reviews/critiques are welcome (:


	3. Home Sweet Home

**Chapter Three: Home Sweet Home**

Fox stood in the control room, staring through the vast window into space. You'd think it'd be boring—watching star after star, each one barely brighter than the next. Not to Fox. To him, living in space was possibly the second best decision he ever made; the first being becoming a pilot. His backyard was the final frontier, every room had a view, and each morning there was a different sunrise to watch. Fox took a deep breath and let it out slowly as a small smile crept across his face. His flying house had always been his home.

But now, with two intruders aboard, he and his team had to return to Corneria. He didn't mind though. In a few days they'd be up in the black sky once again. That's what he hoped, at least. In the back of his mind he could tell another mission was on the way, but he pushed the thought away for now. All he wanted to worry about was landing safely.

His ears perked up as a door slid open behind him. Falco's footsteps echoed as he entered the room.

"How close are we?" He asked.

Fox shrugged. "Won't be long now."

Falco joined Fox as the window. "Well I'll tell you one thing: I am not going to miss floating through this vacuum."

Fox chuckled. "You never seemed to mind it before."

"That's when something was _happening_," Falco answered, "But all this idle drifting makes me nauseous."

"Everything makes you nauseous."

"Scotch doesn't make me nauseous."

"A lot of it will," Fox laughed.

"Well I'm sick of purified water and powdered milk."

Fox nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we all could use a night out."

"I have an idea," Falco piped up, "How about _you_ take a turn as _wingman_ and help me score some chicks."

Fox sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Actually Falco I was thinking—"

Falco interrupted him. "See what I did there… with wingman? It's funny 'cause_ I'm_ usually your wingman."

"Hilarious. But I kinda wanted to—"

Falco held up his hands. "Don't worry, we'll make sure you don't leave empty handed."

"Falco!" Fox basically yelled, "I'm not going to hook up with a random girl at a bar. I just… What would you think if I…"

Falco nodded. When Fox didn't continue he made circles with his arms, encouraging him. "Come on. You can talk to me."

Fox exhaled. "I want to ask Krystal to dinner when we get there."

Falco smiled and crossed his arms. "Oooooooooooooooh…"

Fox rolled his eyes. "Don't…"

Falco ignored him. "You liiiiiike her…"

"Falco I said—"

"Foxie has a cruuuush…"

"Are you done?"

"Yeah I'm done."

"Good." The two turned their attention back to the view.

A short silence passed before Falco spoke up again. "About time."

(Surveillance Room)

Slippy and Krystal sat at the desk. Krystal occasionally glanced at the screens while Slippy spun around in the swivel chair.

"Are…you…excited?" Slippy asked, saying each word when he spun passed Krystal.

Krystal giggled at the frog. "The last time I saw Corneria it was infested with Aparoids."

"Don't worry," Slippy said, "They clean up really well."

Krystal looked up at the screen that showed the Apprehension Center. "Who do you think they are?" She asked, closely watching the two gorillas.

Slippy stopped spinning and scooted up next to her. He shrugged. "Most of the primate population comes from Venom. But Andross, Oikonny, and their followers were apes, not gorillas, so we can't just jump to conclusions."

Fox's voice came on the intercom. "We'll be entering Cornerian atmosphere in less than an hour."

"I guess we'll find out soon," Krystal said.

(Main Control Room)

Peppy entered the room. "I cannot wait to sleep in a nice wood framed bed. I tell ya, shallow metal beds do not help an aging hare."

Falco stretched his arms up over his head. "You might be onto something, gramps."

"Alright let's not start talking hotels until we figure out what the general wants us to do," Fox said, "If these guys were after us it may lead to something."

"Comfort or not, it would be nice to see some action again," Falco agreed.

Finally, the Great Fox passed through the Orbital Gate and descended into the blue sky of Corneria City. The ship landed in the military base where it would be kept while the team was in the city. As soon as the door lowered to the ground, the five members emerged.

Slippy squinted and looked up at the sky. "I can't remember it ever being this sunny."

Falco nodded in agreement, slipping on his sunglasses. "It's usually raining."

"Stand up straight," Peppy ordered, "The general's coming."

"Welcome home, team Star Fox," General Pepper saluted them. At the same time, four soldiers walked briskly onto the ship.

"General," Fox greeted him, also with a salute.

"I'm glad to see you made it safely," Pepper continued, "The convicts will be taken in for questioning."

As if on cue, the soldiers exited the ship, two on each gorilla. One locked eyes with Fox as he passed, but Fox quickly averted his attention back to the general.

"We would appreciate it if you would contact us as soon as you discover their motives," Fox said.

"Actually," Peppy cut in, "I was hoping I could stay and help. The general and I have some catching up to do."

Pepper nodded and smiled. "Of course," he said, "In the meantime, we have arranged a stay for you in the Star Hotel."

"Thank you, General," Fox answered. "We'll be on our way."

* * *

Slippy watched the buildings pass by as he and Falco's cab followed the other through the streets of Corneria. Although he was happy to be back in the city, he knew that they'd have to start another mission soon, which meant more flying… and more risks to take.

"Jeez Louise," Falco sighed, interrupting Slippy from his thoughts, "You'd think the General would hook us up with better rides."

"He's already paying for our hotel rooms," Slippy replied.

Falco folded his arms behind his head. "And then Fox has the nerve to stick me in the cab with _you_."

"And what makes you think I'm enjoying this?"

"No one asked for your opinion."

Slippy rolled his eyes and looked back out the window.

(Fox's Cab)

"Slippy was right," Krystal said, breaking the silence, "The city does clean up nicely."

Fox looked out her window and nodded in agreement. "They've had lots of practice."

After a few more moments of silence, Fox spoke up again. "You know," he said, clearing his throat, "There's this great restaurant—it's actually not that far from the hotel. Maybe I could show you around the city and we could get something to eat."

Krystal smiled. "Sounds like fun."

(Falco and Slippy's cab)

"I'm getting car sick," Falco said, "Are we there yet?"

"We'll get there when we get there," Slippy said, aggravated with Falco's constant complaining.

Falco sighed exasperatedly.

"Oh oh!" Slippy cried, sitting up suddenly, "We're here!"

The cab pulled up to the curb right behind the other one. Falco and Slippy stepped out of the cab and looked up at the hotel.

Falco whistled. "Shit."

The hotel must have been 10 stories high, at least. The entrance was framed by two arches and each room past the 3rd floor had large glass windows and a balcony.

"Nice huh?" Fox said, joining Falco and Slippy, "And how much you want to bet the general gave us the penthouse?"

"Dibs on the king-sized bed!" Falco yelled.

After the team had checked in, unpacked, and argued over the king-sized bed (which was eventually given to Peppy due to the fact that he wasn't present), Krystal and Fox left for dinner, and Falco begrudgingly took Slippy to the bar with him.

The sunny day had faded into a soft orange as Fox and Krystal strolled down the streets. Fox was pointing out old buildings he used to pass when he was younger and telling the stories that came with them. Krystal listened happily, enjoying the quality time that she'd been wanting for so long.

Falco, on the other hand, wasn't as content as the other two. He didn't hate Slippy—not even close. But with a temper as short as his, Falco was easily set off by the frog's consistent chatter.

The two were seated at the bar; Falco had his chair turned away from the counter, his elbow resting behind him and his drink in the other hand. He passively listened to Slippy as he talked about some kind of machinery. Or was it physics? He couldn't remember.

"But if you ask an analyst, they'll tell you that pressure is increased by—"

"I'm gunna stop you right there, Slip," Falco said. He took another sip of his drink before continuing. "Is this what you do for fun?"

"What do you mean?" Slippy inquired.

"This," Falco answered with a nod of his head, "Go to bars, order _water_, and then droll on about science?"

Slippy looked down, embarrassed. "If I have a lot of alcohol I'll get dehydrated. I need more water than you do…"

"That's some grade A bull shit," Falco said, "Hey bartender, how about a beer for my friend here."

Slippy rolled his eyes. "I can't drink that, Falco."

"Come on, man, live a little." After no response from Slippy, he tried again. "Don't look now, but that girl's checking you out."

Slippy started to turn.

"I told you not to look!" Falco said, stopping him, "Jeez Louise... you're really not good at this, are you?"

"Whatever, Falco," Slippy said, getting up to leave.

Falco caught his arm. "Hey, come on, Slip, I'm sorry." Slippy sat back down. "You want me to help you?"

"With what?"

"Manning up," Falco answered simply.

Slippy chuckled. "Manning up?" He repeated.

Falco replied by punching him in the arm.

"Ow!" Slippy exclaimed, "What the… God, Falco, that hurt!"

"No it didn't," Falco said, "It felt _great_."

"What?" Slippy asked again, tears welling up in his eyes.

"You're a war hero, for God's sake. Repeat after me: It felt great."

Slippy just stared at him like he was crazy.

"I didn't hit you that hard," Falco said defensively, "Now say it."

"…It felt great."

"_Fucking _great."

"Falco, I'm not—"

"Say it."

Slippy sighed. "F…Fucking great."

"Pain is good for you, Slip," Falco said, taking another sip, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Slippy just sighed again. He picked up his beer and took a sip.

(Cornerian Military Base)

Peppy and the general sat in two swivel chairs facing a vast window. Behind the window was a white room with a bright lamp. Beneath the lamp was a table where one of the criminals who had attempted to invade the Great Fox sat. The two old veterans watched as the detective, a black cat, interrogated him.

"You guys don't have robots to do this for you nowadays?" Peppy asked.

Pepper laughed. "We wouldn't want to lose the personal aspect of this business."

Just then, the detective opened the door slightly and stuck his head out. "Sir," he said, "He wants to talk to you."

General Pepper stood up.

"Excuse me, General," the detective stopped him, "I was talking to him." He pointed to Peppy.

Surprised, Peppy looked to the general, who sat back down and motioned for him to proceed. Peppy took a deep breath and approached the detective. "Peppy Hare," He introduced himself.

"Detective Joe Brudack," the cat replied, shaking Peppy's hand. "Come with me." He then led Peppy into the room where the gorilla sat. This was the first time Peppy really got a good look at the criminal. His skin was a dark charcoal with fur matted all over it. A long scar ran down from the side of his jaw down his neck, and he had a scowl to match his angry eyes.

"You wanted to speak to me?" Peppy asked, taking a seat at the table. Brudack stood a few feet behind him with his arms crossed.

"Do you know why?" The gorilla replied.

Peppy folded his hands in front of him. "Why would I come in if I did?"

The gorilla slammed his palms down on the table and leaned in toward Peppy. "Listen close because this may be the only explanation you get before we take down your team and the rest of this place. You damn Cornerians and your mercenaries are done pushing everyone else around—especially _you._ The Star Fox team is seen as heroes, _icons_ even. But I know what you really are. Puppets, pawns… nothing more than little toys tied to the fingers of people like _him._" The gorilla pointed at the mirror, obviously knowing that the general was on the other side. "You killed the last heir to Emperor Andross, and destroyed the last of his creations."

Peppy had also stood up to face the gorilla. "Oikonny?" He asked, "That was years ago. And what creations? Who sent you?"

The gorilla leaned back and laughed. "You know very well 'what creations.' You destroyed the last of them right after you murdered Oikonny."

Brudack joined Peppy at the table. "You couldn't possibly mean…"

"There's more of us," the gorilla interrupted him, "They're in the city, in Cornerian atmosphere, maybe on their way to a bar not far from a certain hotel…"

Peppy's eyes narrowed. He grabbed the gorilla by his shirt and jerked him forward. "What the hell do you know?" He yelled.

The gorilla began to laugh. Brudack pulled Peppy back. "I've got it from here," he said, "Call your team."

Peppy nodded and stepped out of the room.

(Krystal and Fox)

"I'm serious," Fox laughed, "It was the only time I'd ever seen Falco cry."

Krystal took a deep breath to stop herself from laughing. "You guys have the greatest stories. I could listen to them all night."

"You basically have," Fox chuckled, "Why don't you tell me something I don't know about you."

Krystal looked out at the view and thought. The two were sitting on a bench, facing the ocean that bordered the city.

"There isn't much that you don't already know."

Fox looked at her for a moment before looking towards the ocean.

Krystal broke the silence. "I… I like spending time with you, Fox."

Fox smiled. "Krystal I—"

Suddenly Fox's communicator began to buzz, interrupting him. Fox picked it up and Peppy's face appeared on the screen. "What is it, Peppy? We're a little busy."

"How far are you from the hotel?" He asked frantically.

"Pretty far. Why what's up?"

"We've been compromised," Peppy said, "I don't know how, or who's behind it. But they know where we're staying and…" he took a breath, "they know where Falco and Slippy are."

Krystal had already run to the street and hailed a cab, with Fox not far behind. "We're on our way," he said and disconnected.

Fox and Krystal slid into the cab and quickly shut the doors. "Take us down to Main Street," he ordered, "And make it quick."

"I'll call them," Krystal said.

(Falco and Slippy)

"Hello?" Falco answered, picking up his communicator. "No… nothing weird here. Why are you calling me anyway? Shouldn't you get back to your date? … He ended it early. No, don't even try to make excuses. I'll give him shit for it later, Krystal, don't you worry." He hung up without listening to her response, then turned to Slippy. "Now where were we?"

"Blonde rabbit, ten o'clock," Slippy said motioning towards a tall girl who had just walked by.

Falco glanced up. "Solid seven. How about… that poodle a few seats down."

Slippy shrugged. "Four… Five maybe. Not really my type."

Falco laughed. "Not slimy enough for you?"

Slippy chuckled. "Shut up. Oh oh! Grey cat, just walked in."

Falco looked up; his smile quickly vanished. "Shit," he muttered, turning his face to Slippy to avoid being seen, "Don't look!"

Slippy obeyed and looked away. "What in the world, Falco?" He whispered.

Falco glanced up, seeing if the coast was clear. "That's _Katt._"

Slippy looked surprised. "Katt Monroe?" He asked, "She looks different."

"Yeah, well she was pink the last time you saw her."

"Right…"

Falco tossed some money on the counter and stood up. He grabbed Slippy by the arm and proceeded out the door. Once they were safely outside, they began to walk back to the hotel. It was dark outside now, the only light coming from the street lamps. Falco was silent. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his coat, and he stared straight ahead as they walked.

Slippy spoke up. "You alright?"

"Yeah, Slip," he nodded, "I'm fine. Hey listen, don't tell the others we saw her, okay?"

"Okay, Falco, but I—"

Just then, an alligator in a black trench coat approached the two of them. "Excuse me," he said, "Could you tell me the time?"

"Sure," Falco said and looked at his watch, "Its… quarter after nine."

"Right on time," the alligator answered. "I need you to do one more thing for me." He pulled a gun out of his coat and pointed it at them. "Put your hands where I can see them."

(Peppy)

Peppy was pacing outside the interrogation room. "I should really go find them—"

General Peppy stood up and stopped him. "We've alerted the local police to keep an eye out."

"I just have a bad feeling about this," Peppy sighed.

Brudack came out of the room just then and shut the door tight behind him. "That's all the information we're going to get out of him," he announced. He turned to Peppy. "Did you contact your team? I'd like to see what they think about all this."

"I haven't heard back from them," Peppy said. "What do you mean 'all this'?"

The detective sighed. "It seems yet _another_ rebel force from Venom is emerging. This one, however, has their sights set specifically at Star Fox, at least for now."

The general held up his hands. "We can't be positive on one source. Brudack, I want you to see if the stories from the other detainee match up. Have officers help you bring him in."

Brudack nodded and left the room, followed by two other officials.

"But why would an entire rebellion focus on just five people?" Peppy asked.

"I fear this might be something much bigger than what Brudack concluded," General Pepper said. "What do you think he meant by _creations_?"

Suddenly the door swung open revealing Brudack and two officers. "He's gone," Brudack said.

"What?" Peppy and Pepper exclaimed simultaneously.

"I don't know when it happened, sir," one of the officers said, "His cell is empty… there isn't any trace of how he did it."

(Fox and Krystal)

Fox looked at his watch. _9:00_.

"They're alright for now," Krystal said, "He didn't give me any time to explain."

"Figures," Fox rolled his eyes. "Excuse me," he said to the cabbie, "How far do you think we are from the Star Hotel?"

The cabbie, an old white dog, thought for a moment and looked down at his watch. "I'd say about 10 minutes."

"Look out!" Krystal shouted.

The distracted driver looked up in time to swerve away from a pedestrian standing in the middle of the road. The figure approached the stopped car, and the cabbie rolled down the window.

"Christ," the dog said, "you can't just stand in the middle of the street like that. I shoulda been paying attention though."

"Get out of the car," the figure commanded.

Fox spoke up from the back seat. "We don't want any trouble."

He pulled out a gun. "GET OUT OF THE CAR."

"What the hell?" Fox yelled, quickly getting out and slamming the door. Krystal opened the door to follow him, but as soon as she looked over she immediately recognized the stranger. He was a large brown gorilla, one of the two that had earlier been in their ship.

"Fox!" Krystal said urgently, "Get back in the car."

As soon as she said that, Fox took a closer look at the figure in the darkness. Before he had a chance to react, a bullet shot past him, hitting the roof of the car. He wasted no time turning around and diving back into the cab. Another bullet hit the car door as soon as it shut. "DRIVE!" Fox told the cabbie. The wheels of the cab squealed as it sped down the road.

"We need to help the others," Krystal said. She turned to the driver. "We'll pay you one hundred credits for every red light you run."

(Falco and Slippy)

Both Falco and Slippy had their hands in the air while the alligator pointed his blaster at them. "Here's what I want you to do," he told them, "We're gunna calmly walk behind the building and wait for my boss to pick us up."

Falco glanced behind him to see the alley that led to the empty parking lot. "Who's your boss? I only ask cause I hate awkward introductions. Don't you think it'd be better to get those out of the way?"

The alligator swiftly pulled his knee into Falco's stomach. Falco cried out and bent over. Slippy flinched but kept his hands in the air.

"S-sorry, sorry you're right," he wheezed out, "Lead the way."

The alligator directed them towards the alleyway and forced them to walk towards it. Once they were inside, Falco glanced down at Slippy and gave him small smile. Slippy smiled back.

In one smooth movement, Falco slid his foot backwards and ducked. His boot connected with the tip of his opponent's shoe, and his head barely missed a swing from the alligator's arm. As the alligator stumbled forward, Falco grabbed his wrist which held the gun with both of his hands, redirecting the shots toward the ground. He brought his elbow up, nailing the alligator in the face before turning around and kneeing him in the gut.

Now holding the gun, Falco pointed it at the downed alligator.

"Falco!" Slippy cried, pointing to the street. A pair of headlights grew brighter as it quickly approached them.

"Shit," Falco said. He lifted the alligator to his feet and kept the blaster to his chest. "When's your boss coming?" He demanded.

The frightened alligator held up his hands. "He wasn't supposed to be here for another twenty minutes, I swear!"

"Wait a minute…" Slippy said, "Falco, it's a cab!"

The cab stopped in the parking lot, and out from it came Fox and Krystal.

"Are you guys alright?" Krystal asked.

Falco smiled. He turned to the alligator. "How would you like to meet _my_ boss?"

(Cornerian Military Base)

The whole Star Fox team was gathered outside the interrogation room. The alligator was behind the glass this time, with Detective Brudack inside interrogating him.

"I want answers," Fox said to the general.

"Believe me, Fox, we're working on it," Pepper answered, "Let's just be glad you're all okay."

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Falco said, "You've got thousands of soldiers stacked up, and they can't even manage to stop _one_ guy from escaping?"

"Falco…" Peppy said in an attempt to stop him.

"And where were you?" Falco demanded from Peppy, "You knew all about this hours ago! But you just settled with a little assurance that the police were on it."

"Dammit, Falco, what could I have done? I tried warning you, but you're too stubborn to listen to anyone!"

"Well maybe if you had—"

"That's enough!" Fox shouted, "General Pepper, _with all do respect,_ what the hell is going on?"

No one had noticed that the detective had entered the room. He leaned casually against the wall, twirling his hat between his fingers. "I believe I can be of assistance."


End file.
